General Overview

Formed in 1841, rural Wyoming County lies in the southwest corner of the Finger Lakes Region. Wyoming is home to a large portion of the picturesque Letchworth State Park, as well as the notorious Attica State Prison. The county has had one of the greatest decline in population since 2000, and its tourism website boasts of being home to “more cows than people.” Wyoming’s unemployment rate is a bit higher than the state, nation, and region as a whole. However, jobs have increased, crime rates have fallen sharply since 2000, and the county has the highest graduation rate in the region.

Demographic Overview

Wyoming experienced the second greatest population decline in the region:

From 2000 to 2015, Wyoming lost 5.6% of its total population. This is the second-largest decline in the region, and contrasts to population increases for the state (4.3%), nation (14%), and region as a whole (1.4%).

In 2015, Wyoming was home to 41,000 residents, making it the third smallest county in the region. Wyoming accounted for just over 3% of the region’s total population.

Similar to other counties in the upstate region, Wyoming has experienced substantial declines in its number of youths and young adults, as well as growth in its older population:

The number of Wyoming residents between the ages of 60 and 84 grew by 37% from 2000 to 2015, in line with the increase for the region and less than the national increase. The share of adults aged 85 and older grew by only 8%, a much smaller increase than the state, nation, and region.

Over the same period, the number of residents under 20 years of age fell by 25% - the greatest decline in the region behind Orleans – and the number of residents aged 20 to 39 declined by 17%, tied with Orleans for the sharpest drop in the region.

Wyoming’s minority populations grew slightly from 2000 to 2015, versus much larger increases nationally, statewide, and for the region:

The number of white residents declined by 7%, the African American population increased 3%, the Asian population increased 10% and the Hispanic population rose by 8% from 2000 to 2015.

In 2015, Wyoming was 92% white, less diverse than the region as a whole (83% white) but more so than most counties surrounding Monroe.

In 2011-15, Wyoming had a smaller share of married couples with children (18%) and a larger share of married couples without children (33%) than the region, state, and nation. Wyoming’s share of married couples with children dropped precipitously from 26% of total households in 2000.

Arts and Culture

Tourism revenue per resident has increased but remains below the state and region:

In 2015, tourism revenue was $1,007 per resident, compared to $3,186 statewide and $1,290 for the region.

Wyoming’s rate in 2015 was higher than in any year since 2005, and is nearly 20% higher than the rate in 2005.

Recreation spending per resident ($158) in 2015 was higher than the region ($70) and most regional counties, but below the state ($331). The rate grew by 7% from 2005 to 2015, compared to a drop of 8% for the region.

Children and Youth

The child poverty rate in Wyoming has increased since 2000 but is the third lowest in the region:

In 2011-15, 17% of children in Wyoming lived below the poverty line, compared to 22% nationally and statewide, and 21% in the region.

From 2000 to 2011-15, the child poverty rate rose by 5 percentage points in Wyoming, a larger increase than the state (2 points), on par with the nation and lower than the region (7 points).

Wyoming’s rate of single-parent families increased from 2000:

In 2011-15, 35% of Wyoming families were headed by a single parent, on par with the nation and below the state (37%) and region (39%).

In contrast to the rate in 2011-15, 24% of Wyoming families were headed by a single parent in 2000, the lowest in the region. From 2000 to 2011-15, the rate grew by 11 points, just below Orleans, who had the greatest increase in the region, and a greater increase than the nation (6 points), state (4 points), and region (8 points).

In 2014, 80% of Wyoming mothers received prenatal care in the first trimester, higher than the state (75%) and similar to the region (79%). Wyoming’s rate increased by 4 points from 2013 to 2014, the second-greatest regional increase.

In 2014, Wyoming’s rate of low birth weight babies (6.4%) was less than the national (8%), state and regional rates (both at 7.8%), This was an almost 3-point increase in rate from 2013 to 2014.

The rate of child abuse and neglect had no improvement in rate since 2000. The 2015 rate of 20 per 1,000 was a decline from 2014, however, Wyoming’s rate was still above the state (14) and region (16).

In 2014, the rate of teen pregnancy in Wyoming was 1.5%, below the state (3.3%) and region (2.5%). The rate fell by 63% from 2000, greater than decreases for the state (53%) and region (56%).

Community Engagement

Wyoming County had one of the lower voter registration rates in the region:

In 2015, 75% of voting-age adults were registered to vote, unchanged since 2012. The registration rate in Wyoming was on par with the state but lower than the region (78%).

The registration rate fell by 4 points from 2000, similar to the state and region.

Similar to the region and state, voter turnout has been decreasing in Wyoming:

In the 2014 midterm elections, voter turnout in Wyoming was 35%, above the state (25%) and on par with the region. Turnout was down 3 points from the 2010 midterms.

In the 2012 presidential election, the voter turnout rate was 49%, below the region (55%) and nation (54%) but above the state (46%). This was the lowest turnout rate of the last four presidential elections, all of which had turnout rates in Wyoming at or above 54%.

Wyoming County’s registered borrowers decreased by almost half since 2000, but library visits have increased:

In 2015, 40% of residents of Wyoming’s county library system were registered borrowers, below the state (57%) and region (64%).

The number of library visits has increased 12% in Wyoming, higher than the state and region, but still below other counties in the region.

Average charitable donations fell by 10% from 2002 to 2013 in Wyoming, the largest decrease in the region and a greater decrease than the state and nation (up 9% and 11% respectively over that period). In 2013, the average donation was around $2,595, below the regional ($3,409) and the state ($5,516) averages.

Economy

Despite a large rebound in the unemployment rate following the Great Recession, unemployment remains above the state, nation, and region:

In 2015, the unemployment rate in Wyoming was 5.7%, above the nation and state (both 5.3%), and region (5.2%).

The rate fell by almost 4 points from its peak in 2010 – a greater decrease than the region. However, the rate remained 1 point above its low of 4.8% in 2000.

While the total number of jobs in Wyoming increased from 2000 to 2015, there were significant changes in individual sectors:

From 2000 to 2015, the total number of jobs in Wyoming increased 8%. This compares to a 15% increase nationally, a 16% increase statewide, and a 2% increase for the region.

Over that period, the Professional and Business Services sector tripled – the largest increase in the region – while the Manufacturing sector declined by 21%

In 2015, the largest sector was Government, accounting for almost 23% of all jobs in the county. Other large sectors were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities, and Manufacturing.

Wyoming’s average salary grew more than the state, nation, and region, but remained relatively low:

From 2000 to 2015, Wyoming’s average salary grew by 10%, compared to a 9% increase for the nation and state and a 5% increase for the region.

Wyoming’s average salary in 2015 was $40,300, lower than the nation ($52,900), state ($67,500), and region ($47,100).

Education

Wyoming’s rate of prekindergarten participation remains far below the state and region:

In 2015, just 26% of eligible children participated in prekindergarten programs, compared to 47% for the state and 42% for the region. Wyoming’s rate was the lowest in the region.

The rate of prekindergarten participation grew by 18 points from 2001, a smaller increase than the state, and region.

On most Common Core-aligned state tests in 2016, Wyoming students had similar results to students statewide:

43% of Wyoming 4th graders passed the math test, similar to the state (45%) and region (44%).

41% of 3rd graders passed the English test, compared to 42% statewide and 37% for the region.

39% of 8th graders passed English but just 13% of 8th graders passed math, below the state’s 24%.

Performance on the Regents tests was above state levels:

In 2016, 93% of Wyoming students passed the English test and 89% passed the Common Core Algebra 1 test, compared to 86% statewide for English and 72% statewide for math. Wyoming students also outperformed the region.

Wyoming’s four year high school graduation rate in 2016 was 92%, higher than for the state (81%) and region (84%).

In Wyoming, adults were less educated than nationally, statewide, or throughout the region:

In 2011-15, 46% of residents over 25 had attended at least some college, lower than for the region (61%), state, and nation (both 59%). This rate was lowest among all regional counties except Orleans.

High school graduates made up 41% of the adult population, more than in the nation (28%), state (27%), and region (29%).

Spending per student by school districts in Wyoming is increasing:

In 2015, districts spent on average $20,000 per student, below the state ($22,600) but slightly above the region ($20,800).

Per student spending increased by 36% from 2000 to 2015, less than statewide and regionally. Spending was flat from 2014 to 2015, a contrast to increases in the state and region.

Financial Self-Sufficiency

Like the state, region, and nation, Wyoming’s median household income has been falling:

In 2011-15, median household income in Wyoming was $52,600, slightly below the nation ($53,900) and lower than the state ($59,300) but above the region ($52,300). However, median income was higher in Wyoming than any regional county besides Ontario.

From 2000 to 2011-15, median household income fell by 7%, less than the nation (down 10%) and the region (down 15%), and slightly higher than the state (down 4%).

Wyoming’s poverty rate was the second lowest in the region:

In 2011-15, 12% of Wyoming residents lived below the poverty line, compared to 14% for the region, 16% statewide, and 15% nationally. Wyoming’s rate was the second lowest in the region behind Ontario.

The poverty rate rose by 3 points from 2000 to 2011-15, below the increase for the region (4 points) and on par with the nation.

Wyoming had the lowest regional rate of people receiving temporary assistance:

In 2015, just 0.8% of Wyoming residents received temporary assistance, well below the state (2.9%) and regional (3.1%) rates. Wyoming’s rate was the lowest of all of the regional counties.

Wyoming’s rate was virtually unchanged from 2001, compared to a small regional increase (0.3 points) and a decrease statewide (0.7 points).

In 2015, there were 8.1 emergency meals served per resident, above the rates for the region (7.0) and state (7.1). Wyoming’s rate has more than doubled since 2000 at 135%, a slightly larger increase than the region (126%) and more than the state (-3%).

Health

In 2014, 7% of Wyoming County residents under 65 lacked health insurance, lower than the nation (14%) and state (10%) and on par with the region. The rate fell by 6 points from 2008 to 2014.

Wyoming has a relatively low rate of people enrolled in Medicaid Managed Care:

In 2015, 12% of Wyoming residents were enrolled in Medicaid Managed Care, compared to 23% statewide and 17% in the region. The rate is the lowest in the region, but is up 1 percentage point from 2014.

The mortality rate in Wyoming is higher than the state and region:

In 2014, there were 763 deaths per 100,000 residents, a much higher rate than the state (618) and region (685). Wyoming had the third-highest mortality rate in the region.

The rate fell by 10% from 2000 to 2014, a smaller decrease than the state (23%) and region (16%).

Similar to other counties in the region, Wyoming saw an increase in the rate of chlamydia infections, more than tripling from 67 per 100,000 in 2001 to 288 in 2015.

The number of people admitted into alcohol or substance abuse treatment programs fell by 22% in Wyoming from 2007 to 2015, a greater decrease than the state, region, and every regional county.

Housing

Median home values have fallen slightly and remain lower than the state, region, and nation:

In 2011-15, the median home value in Wyoming was $102,000, lower than the nation ($178,600), state ($283,400), and region ($128,700).

Wyoming’s median home value fell by 1.6% from 2000 to 2011-15, compared to increases nationally (16%) and statewide (39%) but a smaller decrease than in the region (down 2.2%) over that period.

Median rent in Wyoming, at $589 in 2011-15, was lower nationally ($928), statewide ($1,132), and regionally ($789). Wyoming’s rent was also lower than every county in the region. Median rent fell by 14% from 2000 to 2011-15, a greater decrease than the region (5.2%) and in contrast to increases for the nation (8.4%) and the state (18%).

In 2011-15, the homeownership rate in Wyoming was 75%, similar to nearby counties and above the regional (68%), state (54%) and national (64%) rates. The homeownership rate fell from 77% in 2000.

Housing in Wyoming was affordable for owners and renters:

Wyoming’s ratio of median home value to median income – a measure of housing affordability – was at 1.7 in 2011-15, lower than the state (3.5), nation (2.6), and region (1.9).

The ratio is unchanged from 2000, in contrast to increases in the state (43%), nation (23%), region (17%), and every regional county.

Rent was more affordable in Wyoming (26% of income going to rent) in 2011-15 than the nation (33%), state (36%), region (35%), and every county in the region.

Public Safety

Wyoming had lower crime rates, and larger drops in its crime rates, than the nation, state, and region:

In 2015, there were 103 serious crimes per 10,000 residents in Wyoming, much lower than the nation (286), state (196), region (231), and every regional county. Wyoming’s rate fell by 60% from 2000 to 2015, the largest decrease in the region and a greater drop than for the nation, state, and region (all around 30%).

Similarly, Wyoming’s rate of violent crime (14 per 10,000) was lower than the state, nation (38 and 37, respectively), and region (27). The rate fell by 46% from 2000 to 2015, a greater decrease than the state and nation and in contrast to a 19% increase regionally.

In 2015, there were 89 property crimes per 10,000 residents, well below the nation (249), state (159), region (204) and every other county in the region (the next lowest was in Yates, with 109). Wyoming’s rate fell by 62% from 2000 to 2015, a greater decrease than the state, nation, region, and every regional county.

In contrast to its remarkable progress in reducing crime, the rate of domestic violence victims has almost doubled from 2009 to 2015, in contrast to decreases for the state (excluding NYC) and region. However, Wyoming’s rate (22 victims per 10,000 residents) was still lower than the state (43) and region (54).

In 2015, Wyoming had one of the lowest rates of juvenile delinquency intakes in the region. Wyoming's juvenile delinquency intakes rate of 29 per 10,000 children (ages 7-16) was well below the state’s (51) and lower than the region’s (56). From 2000 to 2015, Wyoming’s rate fell by 72%, a greater decline than for the region (53%) and state (47%).